Posts tagged “Nottingham”

In a bolt out of the blue phone call, I discovered that LEEC, one of my photography clients had entered some of my pictures into a national contest run by a manufacturing industry body. At first I thought the lady had said she was from EE and I thought it was about my mobile – but it was in fact EEF!

Turns out that my photo is on display at the House of Commons with the other short listed finalists, and they are inviting me down for the presentation ceremony there next month.

Maybe I will end up shaking hands with David Cameron? Who will have the cheesiest grin? Me I bet.

Spike Photography client Handelsbanken’s new office is in the news today. The official opening of their West Bridgford branch was celebrated with a drinks and canapes party and I was there to record the event for posterity – and the POST!

Branch manager Ian Davys knows me from way back, we often bump into each other at events for Nottingham’s great and the good, so it was a no-brainer for me when he asked me to take some great photographs of him and the team at his new outpost of the Handelsbanken empire.

Behind Ian and Neil Clarke, Leader of Rushcliffe Council, is part of a mural of photographs I took for their boardroom – and it looks amazing – even though I say so myself 😉

Branch manager Ian Davys greets Councillor Neil Clarke, leader of Rushcliffe Council, who own The Point, where Handelsbanken’s West Bridgford branch has opened.

Dianne Allen, President of Nottingham City Business Club with Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

Today I photographed Sir Ranulph at Nottingham when he spoke to the Business Club. His story was like something out of a Boy’s Own adventure – but true! He told how he started his climbing carreer on Public School drainpipes, then onto his gung-ho antics in the army and SAS, then clearly not quite wringing enough excitement out of life, how he went on various expeditions which would make the bravest man think twice.

After seeing photos of frostbitten fingers and toes, I had to wonder why his wanderlust drove him to such extremes, but unfortunately he didn’t touch on his big reason why…

One of my favourite restaurants, Savai in Nottingham has undergone a superb revamp inside, and there were a host of regulars there on Sunday to see Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch officially relaunch the popular Italian venue.

I had chance to chat to the ten-times world, five British and eight Commonwealth title winner and despite winding me up to start with, saying I can’t photograph him because of ‘image rights’ (could have been true!) he was very much a ‘man of the people’

Carl gave out gifts to people who had helped in the refurb and was patient enough to be snapped by me, another guy shooting video and dozens of iPhone-weilding snappers!

The Cobra is rapidly turning into Nottingham’s own Frank Bruno – and he deserves every success.

Paul ‘Spike’ Reddington meets up with Children’s author and actor Henry ‘The Fonz’ Winkler OBE at a presentation for Achievement for All in Cotgrave, Nottingham.

I photographed Henry Winkler OBE at a presentation for ‘Achievement for All’ at a school in Cotgrave, Nottingham, tonight. Much loved as an actor, especially as ‘Fonzie’ in Happy Days, he is now a successful children’s author, despite having to deal with dyslexia.

He is one of the most charming men I’ve ever come across – no celebrity airs and graces and plenty of time for ‘normal’ people. I told him that I have a ‘Nip-It’ pinball machine which he remembered as the one in Arnold’s Cafe. Lovely guy, who was appointed an honorary OBE for his educational work on dyslexia in the UK.

Driving past the other day, the building they were in has a big To Let sign outside it but their signage is still up and pictures are in the window. I had a call yesterday from a dad who wanted Work Experience for his daughter, but I’m too busy at the moment, so suggested Venture Photography. However, he said they had closed down.

He asked me about Olan Mills and I told him that they went out of business many years ago, then were revived by some guys and they sprang up in a shop in Huntingdon House, on Huntingdon Street, Nottingham, but they didn’t last too long and were soon closed.

Now Venture have a reputation for very expensive portrait sessions despite their ‘£25 voucher offer’ – see: http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=114829 so maybe the recession has done for them? Their phone number is disconnected.

Anyway, I am always happy to provide some really great family photography or portrait sessions at a much more realistic price – get in touch if you are interested…